Apparatus for longitudinally feeding a multifilament strand in wave form configuration



Feb. 21, 1961 c. R. CUNNINGHAM ErAL A 2,972,439 APPARATUS FOR LONGITUDINALLY FEEDING A NULHFILAMENT STRAND IN wAvE FORM CONFIGURATION Filed Feb. 27. 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 lll- a INVENTOR? 666// ('un/wng/vam HTTRNEYS c. R. CUNNINGHAM Erm. 2,972,439 APPARATUS FOR NGITUDINALLY FEEDING A MULTIRILAMENT STRAND 1N WAVE FORM CONFIGURATION Feb. 21, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 27, 1959 CTRf; RorATloN 5 POKES lNvENgroRs l Cecf/ E (2mm/#Wam BY T/zoma E Cose//o C.- R. CU APPARATUS FOR A MULTI NNINGHAM Erm. 2,972,439

LONGITUDINALLY FEEDING FILAMENT STRAND 1N wAvE ORM CONFIGURATION Feb. 2l, 196i 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 27, 1959 I INVENTOR.s Cea/ bnn/f7 ATTORNEYS nited States Patent O i APPARATUS FOR LONGITUDINALLY FEEDING A MULTIFILAMENT STRAND IN WAVE FORM CONFIGURATION Cecil R. Cunningham, Anderson, S.C., and Thomas F.

Costello, Glenbrook, Conn., assignors `to @wens- Corning Fiberglas Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 795,965 l 4 Claims. (Cl. 226-190) This invention relates to an apparatus for longitudinally pulling a continuous rnultililament strand, for example a glass fiber strand, at high lineal speed and for delivering the strand to a designated point in wave form configuration at a much slower and controlled speed.

Russell Patent 2,868,358 discloses an apparatus comprising a rotary pulling wheel having a generally circular, interrupted periphery with a cooperative strand removal structure which rotates in phase with the wheel and which has spoke-like elements protruding through slots in the periphery of the wheel, the wheel and the structure being mounted upon a spaced parallel axes so that the removal elements protrude beyond the periphery of the wheel at one side of the apparatus and are withdrawn beneath the periphery of the wheel at the other side of the apparatus. The continuous multiilament strand to be fed by the apparatus is led into tangential engagement with the wheel at the side where the spokelike elements are withdrawn and is fed around the wheel by engagement with the peripheral surface thereof until it reaches the point where the spoke-like elements of the removal structure protrude beyond the periphery of the wheel. This sequential protrusion separates the strand from the wheel so that it is discharged. The strand leaving the structure of the Russell patent is a driving strand, i.e., it moves in a substantially linear coniiguration along its longitudinal delivery path and at a speed not greatly lower than its pulling speed.

i It is an object of the instant invention to provide a rotary apparatus for pulling a continuous multifilament strand at high lineal speed and for delivering the strand from the apparatus with a controlled wave form coniiguration of large amplitude, thus to deliver the strand at a speed which is substantially slower than the speed of pulling so that it can be more readily handled in subsequent operations such as packaging. n p

It is a further object of the instant invention to provide an apparatus which constitutes an improved modification of the apparatus disclosed and claimed in the aforesaid Russell patent.

It is yet another object of the instant invention to provide an improved apparatus of the type disclosed and claimed in the Russell application wherein one or the other of the two elements constituting the apparatus is rotated'upon an axis which is not equally spaced'from the operative surface of the element and where the other element of the apparatus is rotated on an axis which is concentric with its operative surfaces, thereby to introduce a second eccentricity in the apparatus which varies in relative angular position and discharges the strand from the apparatus at constantly changing points.

These and more specilic objects and advantages of the instant invention will be better understood from reference to the specification which follows, and to the drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a simplified, diagrammatic view in elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention as employed Patented Feb. 21, 1961 ICC for the simultaneous attenuating and feeding of a continuous, untwisted, glass liber strand;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in perspective of an apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing details of the construction of an apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 4 is an exaggerated, diagrammatic view in vertical section on a plane normal to the axis of one-modification of apparatus embodying the invention and serving to illustrate the operation of such apparatus;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the apparatus at a slightly more advanced position; i

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but of another modification of the invention, and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the apparatus at a slightly more advanced position.

For purposes of illustration throughout this specification', the apparatus embodying the invention will be shown in use for the pulling and projecting of multiiilament, untwisted, glass liber strands. It is to be understood', however, that the' particular strand fed does not modify the function or design of the apparatus and is only illustrative. It should also be observed that the particular strand configurations are not limiting, but only illustrative and that proportions and comparative sizes are not accurate.

A continuous, untwisted, multiilament glass liber strand 20 is continuously produced by attenuating a plurality of individual glass filaments 21 fromminute streams of glass which flow through orifices in the bottom of a heated bushing 22. The bushing 22 may be located at the bottom of an individual glass melting furnace or it may be fed with molten glass from a larger supply such as the forehearth ofa melting tank. The lfilaments 21 are gathered together by a suitable gathering shoe fragmentarily indicated at 23 and laterally compacted together into the strand 20 where the fibers lie parallel to each other. The strand 20 is led around an idler pulley 24 and guided thereby tangentially into surface contact with an apparatus generally indicated at 25 which embodies the instant invention.

The yapparatus 25 comprises two main structural parts, the first being a rotary pulling wheel 26 having an interrupted operative periphery 27. The interrupted operative surface of the periphery 27 is formed by a plurality of circumferentially extending, periphery forming elements 28 (see Fig. 4), which are spaced radially' and axially by extending slots 29. Each of the elements 28 has approximately the same circumferential length and, in the embodiment of t'he invention illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the outer surfaces of the elements 28 lie in a cylinder. The wheel 26 comprises a back half 30 which includes the periphery forming elements 28 and an inwardly directed rea-r ilange 3l at the center of which there is a circular opening 32. The back half 30 is secured by a plurality of mounting screws 33 to a front disc 34. The front disc 34 is in turn mounted by screws 35 on the front end of a-stub shaft .36, the shaft 36 being rotatably journaled in a sleeve 37 that is carried by a bracket 38. A 'sheave 39 is keyed on the rear end of the shaft 36 and driven from a suitable motor by a belt 40.

The second major component of the apparatus 25 as illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, is a rotary strand removal structure generally indicated' at 41. In this embodiment of the invention, the strand removal structure comprises a cylindrical hub 42 which is journaled by a bearing 43 on an eccentric neck 44 of the sleeve37. The eccentricity of the neck 44 can best be seen in Fig. 3 where its radial thickness above the shaft y3:6, indicated by the reference number 44, is less than its radial thickness below the shaft 36 as indicated by the reference number 44a. A plurality of thin flexible spokes 45 is carried by the hub 42, the spokes 45 protruding outwardly and into the slots 29 of the pulling wheel Z6.

The radial length of the spokes 45 is not uniform and thus the outer ends of the spokes 45 do not lie at the same distances from the axis of rotation of the structure 41. As can best be seen in Figs. 4 and 5, the spokes 45y vary in length from the longest spoke indicated by the reference number 45a to theV shortest spoke indicated by the reference number 45h, their lengths being progressively less,.moving clockwise from the spoke 45a to the spoke 4511, and then progressively longer, moving clockwise from the spoke 45b to the spoke 45a. The lengths of all of the spokes 45a, however, and the distance of spacing between the axes of rotation of the wheel 26 and structure 4l are such that none of the spokes 45 protrudes beyond the peripheral surfaces of the periphery forming elements 28 at the right side of the apparatus. Therefore, the oncoming strand 26 may beV led into engagement with the operative surfaces of the periphery forming elements 2S without interference from the spokes 45. Because of the spacing between the axis of the wheel 2e and structure 4l, the ends of the spokes 45 protrude beyond the operative surfaces of the' elements 28 at the left and lower left sides in Figs. 4 and 5, the point of maximum protrusion being determined by the eccentricity of the spokes with respect to their axis of rotation.

In Fig. 4, the longest spoke 45a is shown as extending slightly upwardly and to the left, so that spokes indicated by the reference numbers 45C and 45d also protrude beyond the operative surfaces of the periphery forming elements 2g. As the apparatus rotates in a counterclockwise direction, the successive protrusion of these longer spokes results in lifting the strand 20 from the operative surfaces of the elements 23 at the upper left quadrant of rotation. The strand 20 is, therefore, discharged tangentially away from the apparatus at the upper left side of the apparatus.

As the apparatus continues to rotate, moving from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 5, the longest spoke 45a moves around to the position indicated in Fig. 4 and the shortest spoke 45t) moves into the position at the top of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 5. Because the strand has been discharged from the apparatus at the position shown in Fig. 4 by the longest spoke 45a and the following two spokes 45e and 45d, and because each of the successive spokes moving around toward the shorter spoke 45b is progressively shorter, the strand discharge position moves progressively around the apparatus in a counterclockwise direction when the apparatus moves from the position or" Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 5. Therefore, the spoke indicated by the reference number 45e and the spoke indicated by the reference number 45 are active to discharge the strand at this point of operation as shown in Fig. 5. The point of discharge of the strand 20 from the apparatus moves between the extreme positions indicated in Figs. 4 and 5 progressively, so that the strand is discharged at varying points between a maximum upper position (near that shown in Fig. 4) and a maximum lower position (near that shown in Fig. 5). The point of discharge moves progressively downward in one half of the cycle of rotation and then moves progressively upward as the longer spokes come into play as strand removal elements.

rl`he embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 constitutes a reversal of' relationship between the operative surfaces of the two components of the apparatus and their axes when compared with the structure illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. in Fig. 6, a pulling wheel generally indicated by the reference number 46 is rotated on an axis indicated by the legend center of rotation wheel which is spaced from an axis of rotation of a strand removal structure 47 indicated by the legend 4 t "center of rotation spokes. In this embodiment of the invention, all of a plurality of spokes 48 of the removal apparatus 47 have the same radial length. The surfaces of periphery forming elements 49 of the wheel 46, however, do not lie in a cylinder, but these operative surfaces of the periphery forming elements 49 are so machined that the distance from the center of rotation of the wheel to the surface at one side of the wheel is longer than the distance at the diametrically opposed side of the wheel. As in the case of the spokes of the embodiment of Figs. 4 and 5, these differences from center of rotation to operative surfaces of the periphery forming elements 49 progressively increase from the shorter to the longer side and then progressively decrease on the other half of the wheel.

The same operation occurs with respect to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 as has been described above with respect to the embodiment of Figs. 4 and 5. The spacing between the centers of rotation of the wheel 46 and strand removal structure 47 again is suicient so that the spokes 48 are withdrawn beneath the surfaces of the periphery forming elements 49 at the right side of the apparatus so that a strand 5t) may be led thereon but the operative ends of the spokes 43 protrude beyond the surfaces of the periphery forming elements 49 at the left side of the apparatus, for strand removal. Because the operative surfaces of the periphery forming elements 49 of the wheel 46 are not equally spaced from its axis of rotation, but vary progressively as described, the point of discharge of the strand 50 oscillates between an upper point at the upper left quadrant and at a lower point at the lower left quadrant.

The oscillation of the point of discharge of the strand from both modications of apparatus embodying the invention results in the strand being discharged along a varying movable path of constant amplitude and frequency. The strand is thus discharged in a wave form contiguration of large amplitude since it is progressively discharged between upper and lower extreme positions. The production in the strand of the wave form of large amplitude results in reducing its lineal speed of movement by a ratio between the length of strand forming a wave and the distance between the apexes of two successive waves.

The strand may be received, for example, in a rotary bucket as illustrated in Fig. l, or in other forms of strand reversal such as oscillatory or stationary containers.

In practice, of course, the difference between a radius of maximum length and one of minimum length, in either embodiment, is much less than the exaggerated differences shown in the drawing. For example, with a pulling wheel having a maximum radius of four inches, the difference may be as little as .050 inch. When feeding a multilament strand say of the textile type wherein there are about 200 individual fibers of such size that the strand runs 15,000 yards to the pound, such a relatively small diference in radius results in a wave form having an amplitude of about one-half the circumference of the wheel at a distance of about three and onehalf feet from the apparatus.

We claim:

l. Apparatus for longitudinally pulling a continuous multiilament strand at a high lineal speed and projecting said strand in wave form conguration, said apparatus comprising a first rotary, generally circular means having a plurality of evenly spaced, circumferentially extending, periphery-forming elements, the outer surfaces of said elements having equal circumferential length and forming an interrupted cylindrical operative surface for said rst means; a second rotary means having a hub and a plurality of radially extending spokes, there being a spoke on said hub of said second means for each of the spaces between said periphery-forming elements of said first means, the ends of said spokes being parallel to the axis of said cylinder and forming operative surfaces for said second means; mechanism for mounting said first means and said second means independently for rotation upon separate, parallel axes spaced from each other a distance such that the ends of said spokes extend through the spaces between said periphery-forming elements and protrude therebeyond at one side of said apparatus and are Withdrawn therebelow at the other side of said apparatus, said mounting mechanism mounting one of said means foi-*rotation on an axis equidistant from all parts of its operative surfaces and mounting the other of said means for rotation on an axis parallel to and spaced from an axial line that is equidistant from all parts of its operative surfaces, means for guiding a strand into tangential contact with said peripheryforming elements at that side of said apparatus Where Said spokes are withdrawn, and means for rotating both of said elements in phase at high speed.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said periphery-forming elements are spaced by thin axial slots and said spokes are slidingly engaged therein.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the rst said means is rotatable on an axis that is parallel to and spaced from an axis that is equidistant from all parts of its operative surfaces and the spokes of the second said means are of equal length and said second means is rotatable on the axis of the cylinder defining the 0perative surfaces of said spokes. n

4. Apparatus according to claim l in which the first said means is cylindrical and is rotatable on the axis of the cylinder defining its operative surfaces and the spokes of the second said means are of unequal length and said second means is rotatable on an axis that is parallel to and spaced from an .axial line that is equidistant from the operative surfaces of said spokes.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,868,358 Russell Jan. 13, 1959 

